ALESIS Products don't support 64bit OS's

[BORNintoMUSIC]

I thought I would let you all know that ALESIS does not support 64bit drivers. I just upgraded my computer.... and am rather dissapointed to find out that I can't install my Alesis Multimix 16 Firewire on Vista 64bit. IT's funny how Cubase SX3 works great though!

Argh I'm rather frustrated by this as I need to dual boot which I didn't want to do.


Anyways I thought I would update you guys. I was corresponding with Alesis via email and they don't have an ETA for their driver support.... greaaaat.

[brandondrury]

Thanks for the update. Let us know if get it worked out.

Brandon

[BORNintoMUSIC]

Originally Posted by Jazzman

Hey
I sent an email to alesis about there driver support. Here it is. And there response.
--------------------------------------------------------
HI
I was wondering. How is the 64 bit driver is comming for the Multimix 16
Firewire? Or for any of your products old or new? All your old and new
products say "(32 bit only. 64 bit drivers are not yet available)". "yet"
Which leads me to believe they are on thier way? If Alesis is never planning
on supporting 64 bit you need to make this clear on all product details.
Most all your competitors are writing 64 bit drivers. DAW programs like
Cubase are memory hogs and as you already know 64 bit OS supports memory
ranges above 3 gig. Cubase has a 64 bit version of the program that works
great.
Please do a google search on "Alesis Multimix 64 Bit driver". You can read
thousands of your customers complaining about how they need a 64 bit driver.

If you have the funds to develop new products then you have the funds to
develop the 64 bit driver. After all you designed the product. It shouldn't
be that hard. ffado linux reversed engineered a driver for the multimix 16
firewire with no support from Alesis. The driver will be released to the
linux community whithin the next few months. Advanced users can install the
driver from source code and use it now. Check it out.
"http://subversion.ffado.org/timeline" an scroll down to 02/11/09.
If your developing a driver ignore my complaints. If not pease be honest
with me and your customers as not to mislead them into purchasing a product
they believe will will have 64 bit windows support.
I hope you understand my frustration. I have been waiting for over two
years for this driver.
Great product, and at the moment limited driver support.
Thanks
Mike


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Mike,

At this time there are no immediate plans to develop 64 bit drivers. Windows
64 bit is a specialty OS and presents challenges to developers as Microsoft
requires all drivers to be 'signed' by them to work on a 64 bit OS, costing
much with no guarantee they will be approved. It's really important to be
careful when updating a computer's OS. New versions of operating systems
often lead to compatibility issues. If you use any type of third party
computer software or peripherals (which we all do), always make sure that
you verify that the software is compatible with the new operating system
before upgrading.
Really the only advantage of using a 64 bit system is to be able to use more
than 4gb of memory. Multitrack recording programs on a 32 bit OS has a track
record of recording perfectly for years with even 2gb of memory installed.
Plus most recording situations will not need to use that much, unless you
are doing intensive video editing. The best alternative at this time is to
install a 32 bit Windows OS in order to use this product.


Best Regards,
Justin Baro

Technical Support
Numark/Alesis/Akai Pro/Ion Audio
200 Scenic View Drive
Ste.201
Cumberland, RI 02864
401-658-4032

Thanks for sending out another email. Too bad that Alesis can't come through for their customers. On the flip side though - it's also too bad Microsoft charges so much to approve driver support. But alas - the customer suffers.

[Cailyn]

Originally Posted by BORNintoMUSIC

Thanks for sending out another email. Too bad that Alesis can't come through for their customers. On the flip side though - it's also too bad Microsoft charges so much to approve driver support. But alas - the customer suffers.

Alesis has a point. I consider Microsoft the problem in this case. If I was a product developer, I wouldn't waste the money either. I view a 64-bit OS the same way I view Vista, unproven and unnecessary for what I'm doing.

[csiscs]

Originally Posted by Jazzman

Many prebuilt laptops and desktop come standard with 64 bit Vista. For those people 64 Bit Vista is not a "specialty OS". It's there only OS.
What about all the other sound hardware company's that do support 64 bit platform? They seem to be able to afford it. I don't think Alesis is close to filing for chapter 11.
One more thing I have never heard that Microsoft charges money for driver verification. Maybe they do? But it doesn't seem like it's a big deal as there are thousands of hardware devices that have full support for 64 bit Vista.
The comment that struck me was "64 bit is a specialty OS and presents challenges to developers". If I understand this he says Alesis doesn't believe it has good enough developers to write driver for there own hardware. Ouch.

Yea totally agree cos they know they cant get half arsed buggy driver through microsofts compatability and they aint prepared to spend any time or money on it is wot the guys really sayin eh!

[fmw]

I agree with the guy from Alesis completely. I think he bent over backward to explain the situation and I would call that coming through for customers just fine. Not many companies would take the time to answer you completely and honestly.

In audio there is no reason for a 64 bit O/S. In fact there are very few applications for which it is necessary. I think computers with 64 bit O/S should have a customer warning attached to them. I think manufacturers who build a computer for general use and install a 64 bit O/S are not doing anybody any favors. They do it for marketing purposes and it isn't the right thing to do. I think most people who make the mistake of installing a 64 bit O/S would do well to wipe it and install a 32 bit.

Does anybody know if the new Seven O/S is going to be 64 bit only?

[BORNintoMUSIC]

Originally Posted by fmw

I agree with the guy from Alesis completely. I think he bent over backward to explain the situation and I would call that coming through for customers just fine. Not many companies would take the time to answer you completely and honestly.

In audio there is no reason for a 64 bit O/S. In fact there are very few applications for which it is necessary. I think computers with 64 bit O/S should have a customer warning attached to them. I think manufacturers who build a computer for general use and install a 64 bit O/S are not doing anybody any favors. They do it for marketing purposes and it isn't the right thing to do. I think most people who make the mistake of installing a 64 bit O/S would do well to wipe it and install a 32 bit.

Does anybody know if the new Seven O/S is going to be 64 bit only?

Personally I don't think Alesis OR M$ are right. I would say M$ has MORE to do with it then Alesis, because they require so much money. That being said ....

On the other hand 64bit OS's will EVENTUALLY take over. So why not support the early adopters? I would get all the feedback I could get my hands on; stability, driver performance, etc. I've seen plenty of requests for 64bit driver support - Cubase 5 is now 64bit compatible and they've lowered their prices. You can pick up a full version copy for $500.(i know that's still a lot of dough, but hey it's better then $700), and you can pick up an upgraded version for $200 (completely reasonable IMO).

The bottom line here is that the consumer loses. It really doesn't matter who's at fault, they (Alesis and M$) need to find a solution, so that we can use the products as intended.

[shrink57]

I see this thread goes back a year. It is now June 2009 and still no drivers!!!

I am in the same situation. I just ordered a system based on the I7 processor and plan on running Windows 7 x64 version with 12 gigs of ram. From all my searching I see I am screwed when it comes to running my Alesis MultiMix 16 USB. With more and more music software supporting 64 bit operating systems, it amazes me that Alesis is so far behind. I will really be pissed if I can't use my new system the way I intended.

64 bit is no longer on the fringe of computing. It is slowly becoming mainstream as top of the line DAW software is able to maximize its potential.

Neil

[shrink57]

My letter to Alesis:

I own a MultiMix16 USB 2.0 and have just upgraded my computer to an I7 with 12 gigs of ram. I upgraded in order to take advantage of the new 64 bit music software that is hitting the market. It is unacceptable that Alesis has not made any headway in the availability of 64 bit drivers for its hardware as other music hardware manufactures have. Vista 64 and Windows7 provide us with so many rich opportunities and it is amazing that a mainstream manufacturer like Alesis is turning their heads. I have been using Alesis hardware since the late 80's, with a dusty Quadraverb and HR-16 to prove it. I now have a mixer that is useless until you make the needed drivers available. I know it involves time and money to stay on the cuttung edge, but that is what has brought Alesis a loyal following in the past. I hope to see a turnaround. It hase been well over a year since people have been voicing their need for these drivers and except for some responses that really question our intelligence, nothing has been don to remedy this situation. Please give this some serious thought.

Neil Leder
shrink57@comcast.net

[BORNintoMUSIC]

Originally Posted by shrink57

My letter to Alesis:

I own a MultiMix16 USB 2.0 and have just upgraded my computer to an I7 with 12 gigs of ram. I upgraded in order to take advantage of the new 64 bit music software that is hitting the market. It is unacceptable that Alesis has not made any headway in the availability of 64 bit drivers for its hardware as other music hardware manufactures have. Vista 64 and Windows7 provide us with so many rich opportunities and it is amazing that a mainstream manufacturer like Alesis is turning their heads. I have been using Alesis hardware since the late 80's, with a dusty Quadraverb and HR-16 to prove it. I now have a mixer that is useless until you make the needed drivers available. I know it involves time and money to stay on the cuttung edge, but that is what has brought Alesis a loyal following in the past. I hope to see a turnaround. It hase been well over a year since people have been voicing their need for these drivers and except for some responses that really question our intelligence, nothing has been don to remedy this situation. Please give this some serious thought.

Neil Leder
shrink57@comcast.net

Glad to see you wrote these guys as well Shrink! I have since dropped my Alesis hardware for Steinberg's MR816CSX... too bad they lost me as a customer... but with 8GB of ram sitting in my computer... it had to be done.